Happy Thanksgiving from Homosassa

The above manatees are from Crystal River, where I began the day. Dark and early, in the waters of Kings Bay at 6:38 am.

I'm in my weekend home, in time for the Packer kickoff.  Very nice manufactured home, water on two sides. At the end of the block, so this is the view.

Not only is the view wonderful, the location perfect, but the owner is from Dodgeville, WI. I assume this is not the first time a Packer game has been enjoyed here.  Back to this morning.

I launched from the ramp on Highway 19, as Hunters Spring Park does not open until 8.  Paddled to Three Sisters Springs.  Saw one manatee on the way, one just out side the Springs.

 A pontoon tour boat arrived just after me. Boats can't go into the Springs, so I was the only one inside. I should say, boats wider than a few feet can't go into the Springs.  I thought of exiting the yak in the Springs, but that would have stirred up the bottom, and why do that and ruin the first person in experience.  So I paddled out.

These manatees were just outside the sanctuary area, outside Three Sisters.  The tour boat had disgorged its passengers, they were in the middle of the canal/run.  I stepped out of the yak, took off windbreaker, t-shirt, stirring up a bit of bottom, and snorkeled back into Three Sisters Springs.

Hoping a manatee or two may have entered while I was out.

No manatees, but Three Sisters  is a fine place to snorkel.   "Three" comes from the three spring pools.  There are at least six vents through which the freshwater flows.  Plus more, outside the Sisters. Like this one.

All these springs, streaming 72 degree water into Kings Bay, make it a haven for manatees, who require warm water to survive.

There were four, maybe five manatee in the area.  The tour boat left, replaced by another.

Tour group two took time to get in the water, so I enjoyed a private swim with the manatees.

More resting than swimming by the manatees.  One of which, one the left, had as satellite tag tied to its tail.

I was in the water 30 minutes.   I like my kayak tour better than the pontoon boat tour.  Although, I've never done the latter.  But, milling about with a dozen people, while the captain tries to instruct the group, "be calm", "there's one over there" is not my bottle of beer.  A Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown Ale is, at present.  A favorite of the owner, at least there's a photo of him in a Lenie's Oktoberfest sweatshirt, at what appears to be the original Oktoberfest. It's half time.  Need to go easy on the beer, so I can paddle after the game.  Now, back to this morning.

I glad I got an early start. Not only to get to my lodging in time for the game, but to avoid the afternoon wind.  Forecast called for choppy bay and inland waters.  Kings Bay is large, and I did not want to ride choppy seas.

The wind did kick up as I paddled past Buzzard Island.  At my back.  The above birds were across the water, at Parker Island. Just before I paddled over, a dolphin surfaced. Only once.

 Belted kingfisher on a Nat'l Wildlife Refuge  "Blue Goose" sign. An even better photo is coming up.

Paddled past King Spring, hoping I could do what I did a few Christmases ago.  Get out of the kayak and snorkel into the Spring, the largest in Kings Bay.  I could not, water was too deep.  I think I hit an extremely low tide that Christmas.   This time of year, manatee sanctuaries are in place, so I could not do what I did my last visit to Crystal River, anchor in shallow water near shore. Two tour boats were in the area, one said he was going to go the Three Sisters.  I saw other boats headed that way.   I bet the tour boats now outnumbered the manatees at Three Sisters.  I'm thankful for my early start.

The bald eagle flew off its perch, flying low.  Where did it go?

Too bad I couldn't get closer.  Manatee sanctuary off Warden Key. I did see more manatees as I paddled, but did not try for any photos.  I had plenty already. The eagle took off and a second appaeared. The perfoemed a brief areial ballet, then disappeared.

If not for the wind, I would have stayed out longer, but the farther out I paddled, the longer I had to face the wind on the way back. So I came around Banana Island and began to paddle back.

Paddled to Hunter Spring,.

If there were manatees, I'd get out and snorkel.  I stayed in the kayak.  But, I "discovered" another spring on the backside of Hunter Spring Park.

Water flowing from the bank. Here's a better look.  And sound.

There also was a rolling boil in the center of the spring cove.  Not a good swimming spring, lots of algae.

 I stayed at the Kings Bay Lodge last year for my birthday weekend.

This is the only place I see geese in Florida.  I think this is a former "pet" as I always see just one. I landed at 10:20. First photo at the weekend digs, 11:23.

Wrote this while watching the Pack go to 11-0.  Now time to put the kayak back in the water.  From the floating dock or the ramp three house away?

I'll let you know in about 2 hours.

I'm back. Used the dock.  I'm pretty good at getting in, using the paddle behind the back brace method.  Getting out, not so smooth, the roll out of the kayak on the dock and hope the kayak doesn't roll over method.

Looking at house and dock as I pushed away, 4:08 PM. The house is at the end of a residential canal.  One of 4 or five. A natural appearing creek flows to the Homosassa River.  Or, I suppose the Homosassa flows into it, depending on the tide.  I paddled north, to the Homosassa.

 Looking east on the Homosassa River.

Westward view.  I did not stay long on the Homosassa. Too windy.  Back into the creek.

 I found a narrow stream entering the creek and decided to see where it went,

 This could be a small spring.  Limestone, clear water. Not much flow from the tiny cave.

It lead to a hammock of palms, oaks and other tall trees rising from the marsh.  I am now looking at a chart of the area. It has the main creek, 3 of the canals, but not this stream.  It does show the wooded area, an island on the midst of the marsh.  I got to a point where the stream got narrower, and instead of waiting until it was to narrow to turn around, turned around.

 I saw the palm trees above, and thought, "that looks nice". Got closer and saw, "hey, its 'my' house".  I paddle past, southbound on the creek. Which is unnamed on the chart in the house.

I wondered if the creek went back to the Homosassa River, but turned around before I found out. According to the chart, it does not.

House from the creek.

Canal view of the place.

The neighborhood,

 Boat ramp, three houses, or docks, down from "my" place.

Back home.

Last photos of the day, from the deck, 5:30 PM.  Thinking of f paddling the Weeki Wachee, tomorrow. 29 miles from my location, according to the GPS. 

Going through the 537 channels on the TV, looking for the NFL Network, not found, I did find the local PBS affiliate.  Which has the NewsHour at the correct time, 7 PM.   And after, as show "Gulf Coast Journal"  The last segment was about kayaking the mangrove tunnels of Lido Key, near Sarasota. I may have to paddle there sometime.